It is situated on the south-westside the bay, 4 km from the wharf outside of Ha Long City. The way to Thiên Cung is a perilous one, covered on both sides by thick forest.After entering a narrow gate, the grotto’s 130-meter-long girth opens up

Getting in we are more astonished infront of the very animated and splendid beauty which is made fromstalactite. On the east wall of the grotto, there is a grandiose andimposing picture with characters of tales.

Goingout of the Thiên Cung Grotto, we have a sensation of just watching aunique, meticulous, interesting fine-art museum which is made by nature,get out of the imagine, ability and intellect of man.

This grotto is recently discovered, one of the most beautiful grottoes in Hạ Long Bay.

Legend has it, that beautiful young ladynamed Mây (cloud), caught the eye of the Dragon Prince and he fell inlove with her. They were betrothed, and their wedding lasted seven daysand seven nights in the very centre of the grotto.

In honour of the wedding, small dragonsflew about through the stalactites and stalagmites, elephants dancedtogether happily, snakes twined themselves around trees and two stonelions danced with their manes flowing in the wind. A large elephant,smartly dressed, waited for the bride and the groom. The genies of thesouth and north stars also came to attend the banquet, and theatmosphere was definitely animated and lively. All these scenes havebeen seemingly fossilized in the grotto.

In the centre are four large pillarssupporting the “roof of heaven.” From the base to the top, many strangeimages seem to live in the stone: birds, fish, flowers and even scenesof human life. On the north wall of the grotto a group of fairies seemto dance and sing in honour of the wedding. Under the immeasurably highroof, stalactites make a natural stone curtain. Somewhere there is thesound of a drum beating, but it is actually just the noise made by thewind blowing through stone.

Arriving at the last partition of thegrotto, a natural gushing stream of water babbles throughout the year.Here are three small ponds of clear water. Legend has it, that this waswhere Mây bathed her 100 children, bringing them up wisely and happilyinto adolescence. One path meanders out of the grotto; it was the wayMây, together with 50 of her children, took to harvest new lands. The 50remaining children, together with their father, were left to build thenative land. Left behind by the mother was the natural stream describedabove.

(halong cruise.info)